WALL-E will never understand Humans.
They get tired easily. They can't walk far. Their senses are weak. They complain a lot. They talk longingly about going back to the Axiom and into space, where they were waited on hand and foot.
They also work non-stop to make their new home a better place. They are curious and eager to learn. Their memory capacity is unlimited. They are quick to devise new ways of doing things, utilizing all the resources at their disposal.
In some ways, they are similar to robots.
And in others, they are so different they defy comprehension.
It takes a few days for the first ones to come tottering up to the truck. They're sweating and gasping with exertion, but their eyes are wide and bright with eager curiosity.
They swarm forward, exclaiming over his possessions, picking them up and examining them, turning them this way and that. He hovers nervously nearby, tapping his hands together in anxious worry. They ask him questions he can't answer – what does this do, what is this, where did you find this – and he backs up, ducking his head and looking around for EVE. Some of the things he's collected over the centuries end up on the floor, broken and in pieces, no longer exciting or interesting or mysterious. Others disappear altogether, gone away with the Humans themselves once EVE finally comes in and scatters them with an angry glare.
He surveys the mess left behind and sighs.
Not longer afterward, the Captain says that no one is allowed to visit the truck without permission. EVE is given the task of policing that order. It only takes two demonstrations of her cannon to convince the Humans that she is serious, and after that, they stay away.
He is glad. He likes the Humans, but he prefers it when they keep their distance.
Some of them come back a few days later. The Captain is with them, though, so he figures that must be all right. EVE doesn't seem worried, either, and that's even better.
Their arms are full of objects. At first he thinks they have brought new things to replace the ones they broke. Then he realizes what they have brought, and he is startled enough to exclaim out loud.
"These are for you," the Captain says. "I don't know if they'll all work, but I figure you can sort through them and pick out which ones are good and which ones are junk."
There are treads, wheels, gears, eyes, circuits, arms, wires, hands. All the parts he could conceivably ever need. The Humans store them on the shelves of the truck, putting them in their proper places with the same reverent care he once showed when handling their own artifacts.
WALL-E doesn't have the words to express his gratitude, but the Captain seems to know anyway. "After everything you did for us, it's the least we could do," the Captain says. He smiles. "And now for the best part!" He holds up a bucket full of yellow liquid.
WALL-E lowers his head and gets ready to fold up. "Eva?"
Her eyes dance with humor. "WALL-E," she says, almost reprovingly.
So he stays still and he lets the Captain dip a brush into the bucket and spread the yellow paint, and when it's all done, he looks down at himself and he suddenly remembers rolling off the assembly line, shiny and new and eager to get to work.
It's been a long time since that day.
"Whoa," he says.
EVE giggles. The Captain smiles proudly. "Well, would you look at that."
From his perch on top of EVE's shoulder, little Hal bounces up and down. The roach scurries down EVE's arm and hops onto WALL-E's outstretched hand. Before the Captain can do anything more than call out in warning, Hal is scampering all over, leaving tiny footprints in the fresh yellow paint.
"Oh," WALL-E says in dismay.
EVE giggles again.
The Captain just shakes his head. "Oh well."
One evening at the end of a day no different from any other, they arrive back at the truck and see the Captain standing there. EVE's eyes flash and she makes an interrogative sound.
"There's going to be a celebration tomorrow," the Captain says. "You'll be there, right?"
Uncertain, WALL-E looks up at EVE. A celebration?
EVE makes that querying noise again.
"You mean you don't know?" The Captain grins. "It's our anniversary! Tomorrow we'll have been on Earth for one full year!"
One year. For a Human, it's a long time.
"We wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you," the Captain says. He looks very serious now. "I'd really like for you to be there. It would mean a lot."
EVE spreads her fingers. WALL-E takes her hand without hesitation. "Ye-ees," he says. It's a new word for him, one he still has trouble vocalizing sometimes.
The Captain smiles. "Wonderful! Tomorrow morning, bright and early. We'll see you there!" And he walks off, one job well done, off to start on another.
WALL-E watches him go.
He will never understand Humans.
But maybe that's not such a bad thing.
END